Where to find the designer's portfolio fla files to d/l?

sometimes i’m impressed how some designers could do such an amazing job for those effects and designs on their portfolio, i wonder if i could find those fla files to take a look as a learning reference. Anyone knows?

You could always contact that person and ask them for it or something like it.

Yeah, I’d say to ask them, but a lot of designers are very cagey about handing out .fla’s without any financial recompense. Plus they’re (well, ‘we’ really) are a bit wary of people who might try and pass the work off as their own.

Even if they won’t send the source, you can always learn a lot just by watching the movie and figuring out what they’ve done.

Yeah, I don’t think I would actually give out a .fla of an experiment I have on my site. I would explain to them how I did it, to give them an idea of what they had to do, but I wouldn’t give the .fla for the above reason that Kit stated.

It is worth a try though.

There are a few decompilers out there which would give the actions, some of the symbols, etc. I just can’t remember their names. Maybe try a search for “swf decompiler” on google…

That may help, it may not.

Most designers do not give out the .fla, because it is their only way of controlling their “source code.”

hope this helps…

Tim

Well wouldn’t decompiling someones .swf file without permission be illegal? You would be stealing someones work without permission for your own personal gain. If you ask me, that sounds a lot like plagiarism, which is definitely illegal.

The tools exist, use them! But find them yourself!
It’s ok to get alook at the code, but not to just copy and paste, won’t work anyway if you don’t understand the workings of the swf, the structure and the frame layout you can’t see with those.
Most fla’s come on the cds with the books from these guys, or they just sell em on cd (bit 101)…

If it were illegal, there wouldn’t be decompilers out there.

Especially if you use them to “learn” how to do it, not just copy the code (which is hard to do, even with a decompiler).

I have used this prog : http://www.srctec.com/flashdecompiler/ to open swf’s that a client has given me, which have been done by someone else who will not, or can not find the fla.

It works semi-well. It does allow you to “steal” the code, but it would be easier to see how they did it, then recreate it to your own needs.

As long as you change the code to do what you want to do, and not just copy and paste, there is no plagerism issue. We all take ideas from what we see, this prog just lets you possibly see a few of the actions.

Just like looking at someone’s HTML and JavaScript, then using their script to make your site do what you want to do.

As with anything else, be cool, try to expand on their ideas, and then be willing to share that knowledge.

This way we can all learn from each other, and together make the Flash world move in leaps and bounds.

Just my opinion,

Tim

I guess it in just a matter of opinion then. I feel that if you contact the person and ask for permission to view their code, or for info on how they did it and they don’t allow you, then it is considered stealing, that is my opinion. Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinions:)

I agree with contacting the author, but most times your email will not be returned, or at the very least the fla will be too large for them to bother to send over email…

Just my experience from dealing with trying to update Flash work that someone else started, then isn’t around for one reason or another…

One more time, I agree that first you should contact the author. That is the most respectful, and could be the most helpful.

good luck,

Tim

If you get a reply to your mail from any of the real “gurus” out there, let me know… (thanks, Keith…:slight_smile: )

Yeah, I hate when I don’t get return replies. I am lucky enough to have gotten more replies than I have been ignored though. Well at least we see eye to eye on one part of it:)

Not eye, eyeZ ! :slight_smile:

Look at this link & downloads (you’ll need some time, it’s just
GREAT!)

http://www.levitated.net/daily/index.html

and then tell me why geniuses like that share their code and some others think it’s their secrets coz they came up with it, and nobody else’ll be able to figure it out, and they’ll never give it to you etc etc… I’m so much pro-open source here…
So what if you code a whole site for a client, does this code have to be secret? he’s bought it, he’s using it, but it’s your brainchild, and if you wanna give it away, why not…others like (forgot the name, something like “project 7”…?) sell their site’s sourcecode…why? make money, ok, but not with code, sell it once, then give it…ah, forget this post anyway, i’m just tired…lol

Wow, that is an excellent site.

I agree how that is weird. When people ask me how I do things I tell them how I did it and what methods I used. I feel that it is the best way to learn. Or at least it is better than copy and paste.

I agree, open source is the best.

That is why I use a PC, rather than a Mac…

Tim

I think Macs just suck. They are good for absolutely nothing other than graphics and animation. Again, this is an opinion, and I had many bad experiences with Macs.

I have nothing against MACs (never used them) but read this.

pom :asian:

I hadn’t read that exact article, but it relates what I learned while in design school (of course all they used was Macs).

I compare Macs to all of these SUV’s running around in the City…

Lots more money, real showey, they still just get you from point a to point b, they just cost you more. Both now, and for every single part you want to purchase in the future.

Unfortunately, most of my clients have been on Macs, so I have to make sure that everything we do will work on Macs and Netscape, along with the browser most people (86%) use.

Of course there seems to always be something I forget, and the client is the only one viewing it on Netscape 4.x on a 3 year old Mac…But hey they love their Macs…

Go figger…

take care,

Tim

hey folks, thanks so much for all ur advises.

Yes i do agree that we shud be respectful for other’s works. Finding the source code isn’t really what i want, coz sometimes we juz hard to trace how the codes and objects running w/o explanations though. I’d be more appreciate if i find a website that patiently teaches his/her own works rather than juz sending their babies over.

eyezberg, the url u provided is excellent!! how u cud have found it? anymore? :stuck_out_tongue: thanks a lot!!